What Does a Chiropractic Adjustment Really Do? 

When most people think of a chiropractic adjustment, they picture the “crack” and the relief that often follows. But beneath the surface, something much more interesting is happening—especially in the nervous system.

One of the key things an adjustment can influence is sensorimotor integration. That’s just a fancy way of saying how well your brain can process information from your body (like joint position, muscle tension, and balance) and turn it into smooth, coordinated movement.

Here’s what’s going on:

 

  1. Stimulating the body’s built-in sensors

Joints and muscles are packed with receptors that constantly send information to your brain about where your body is in space. When a joint isn’t moving well, those signals can get fuzzy. A chiropractic adjustment helps restore proper motion, which in turn fires up those receptors and gives your brain better-quality input.

This has been demonstrated in studies showing increased proprioceptive input and altered afferent signalling post-adjustment (Haavik & Murphy, 2011).

 

  1. Sharpening brain-body communication

This flood of sensory input heads straight to key areas in your brain that deal with movement and coordination—like the cerebellum and motor cortex. Research using EEG and fMRI shows that spinal adjustments can modulate activity in these regions, particularly the prefrontal cortex and primary motor areas.

For example, Haavik et al. (2017) found that spinal adjustments altered sensorimotor integration in the brain, affecting how it processes input from the body.

 

  1. Recalibrating your movement system

Think of it like updating your body’s internal GPS. With clearer input, your brain can make better decisions about how to move, balance, and even manage posture. This is especially important in athletes, people with chronic pain, or anyone recovering from injury.

Lelic et al. (2016) used brainwave measurements to show that chiropractic care could change somatosensory processing, helping improve coordination and balance.

 

  1. Positive effects beyond pain relief

Yes, adjustments can help reduce pain—but from a neurological standpoint, they might also help your body move better, react faster, and feel more stable. That’s a big deal for everything from everyday activities to high-performance sport.

A 2020 systematic review by Holt et al. concluded that spinal adjustments can have short-term effects on muscle strength, cortical drive, and reflex excitability—all signs of improved sensorimotor function.

 

In short, a chiropractic adjustment isn’t just about “cracking” a joint—it’s a way of tuning up your nervous system so your brain and body can communicate more clearly. Better input = better output.